IF Bob Brenly thinks his best chance of winning this World Series is to roll out two more balls apiece for Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, then both are already rolling nervously in the Diamondback manager’s hand.

He’s looking for the strawberries, panicking away the best setup he could possibly have midway through a World Series, begging for both a color spot back in the broadcast booth and a sidekick place next to Gene Mauch in the hall of managerial infamy.

Mauch blew a 61/2-game lead with 12 to go and the 1964 pennant, pitching Jim Bunning and Chris Short on two days’ rest like the Phillies were behind, not ahead, which the Diamondbacks are guaranteed to be going to Game 4 tonight.

Despite that, Brenly still was holding open the possibility of coming back with Curt Schilling if the Yankees won last night, even though he has never pitched on three days’ rest in his career.

“I’ll continue to stick by the company line we hope to win this game tonight and just continue to roll with our regular rotation,” said Brenly before Game 3. “If we should happen to drop this game tonight, that would give me something to think about.

“The numbers will show it’s not a good gamble. Some very good pitchers, aces of staffs, have failed coming back on short rest but I chose to think Curt Schilling is a different ani^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^mal.”

He’s doing it because Brenly doesn’t think Miguel Batista is capable of giving the Diamondbacks a chance in Game 4, which considering the way Orlando Hernandez, Joe Torre’s Game 4 starter come the hell of 0-3 or the high water of 1-2, has pitched in the post-season, is panic in its ultimate managerial form.

Why Brenly would short-change Schilling proper preparation with the Diamondbacks halfway home and needing no further manipulation of his rotation to go for the kill with his two absolute killers on proper rest, is beyond us.

If Brenly holds back Schilling for Game 5, the worst he can be is 2-2, with two aces coming off unhittable games, going the next two. That’s Arizona’s best shot, not expanding two cracks to three in the hopes that the percentages improve. Schilling, of course, says he is ready whenever his manager calls. All athletes with a history of rising to occasions are going to say and even believe that, but why Brenly would ask a 34-year-old barely more than a year off arm surgery to change what clearly has worked for him is putting an athlete with an expectation of success into position to fail.

Brenly even admitted that, when he said Randy Johnson’s Game 6 start won’t be moved. “He’s proven throughout his career he is fantastic on regular rest,” said the manager. And Schilling hasn’t?

And what does that do to Batista, to be left dangling like this before being sent out with a chance to win the World Series? “Miguel Batista has been one of our more valuable players,” said Brenly. “He is perfectly suited to be the guy on the bubble in Game 4.”

If he is that, then there’s no problem in using him, taking a 50-50 shot at getting up 3-1, and then having the Yankees at Arizona’s absolute mercy.

John Tudor fell hard in his third start of t89he 1985 World Series, Frank Viola, who lost Game 4 in 1987, won Games One and Seven. Lew Burdette, Bob Gibson and Mickey Lolich all won Game Sevens, in their third starts, but that was before league championships series added October stress to arms, never mind a divisional round in which Schilling pitched twice.

Besides, holding Schilling to Game 5 would not preclude Brenly asking him to air out whatever he has left in Game 7, which is the way Burdette and Lolich did it and the way to go when there is no reason to save anybody for anything.